This spring, Apple revamped the Podcasts app and introduced paid podcasts. Shortly after the introduction of the new app, several problems arose with Apple Podcasts. Shows didn't sync properly between devices, downloads didn't complete, and new episodes sometimes didn't appear in the app until days later. Podcast makers are now complaining. Not only about these aforementioned issues, but also about the podcast subscriptions.
Critique of Apple's podcast subscriptions: “Bugs and confusing interface”
For the podcast subscriptions, creators must use Apple Podcasts Connect, for example to upload episodes. To The Verge, makers complain that the interface is confusing and that bugs occur regularly. Sometimes episodes don't appear in the feed, according to an anonymous creator. It sometimes took a night for the episode to appear in the backend. On other services like Patreon, episodes appear in five minutes, but with Apple it can take hours (or sometimes even days).
That causes several problems, making listeners more inclined to listen to a different show. If the episode doesn't show up on time, listeners switch faster, says a creator.
Another complaint is that paid episodes in Apple Podcasts have to be uploaded separately. Normally podcast creators can use an RSS feed for their episodes: upload the episode in the feed and it will automatically appear on all podcast platforms. That doesn't work with the paid podcasts. This takes a lot of extra time and makers with a small team sometimes do not have the manpower to upload the episodes for each platform separately, including the additional administration.
“Additional people needed”
Joel Sucherman of podcast platform NPR has hired additional people to upload and check the quality of the paid podcasts. But he admits that Apple's system increases the risk of errors. Moreover, it is sometimes difficult to find out exactly where the problem lies, he says. Moreover, it is difficult to gain insight into statistics. Where Patreon has a complete web interface, creators must download a spreadsheet via Apple Podcasts to view subscription data.
If you want to learn more about the criticism of Apple's podcast subscriptions, can read the full story at The Verge. Are you subscribed to a paid podcast at Apple? Or do you not listen to podcasts at all?
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